Social Media

The Job Search and Confidentiality [INFOGRAPHIC]

We know that social media is a huge part of the modern job search. But being active on social media also can prevent you from searching stealthily. Coworkers and bosses can see who you've recently followed on Twitter (handles of job boards could tip them off), Facebook friends can see your new friends in the ticker (what if they're recruiters?!) and misapplied settings on your Google+ circles could blow your cover. So yes, in addition to the difficulty of trying to find a job in this economy, the very tools that could prove most useful could also majorly backfire. In fact, according to a study last October by Wakefield Research and commissioned by TheLadders, 76% of survey respondents say "it's impossible to maintain your privacy when searching for a job online."

It's no surprise that confidentiality is an ever-more important aspect of the job search — 88% of people say privacy and confidentiality are important when they're cruising for a new career. Here are some tips for staying stealth:

Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date — LinkedIn is a great tool for business networking, so your presence on the site doesn't mean you're looking for a new job. However, pay attention to the privacy settings.

Use caution applying to jobs at rival companies or within a niche industry — you can describe your company instead of referring to it by name, and you can also remove your name form your resume and replace it with "Confidential Candidate"

Still paranoid? You're not alone. The infographic below highlights some statistics about confidentiality during the job search. Take a look and then check out our job board — but check your privacy settings before you apply!

Social Media Job Listings

Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we've selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!

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is a leading source for news, information and resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's record 42 million unique visitors worldwide and 21 million social media followers are one of the most influential and engaged online communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.